EAR

The small cavity between the eardrum and
inner ear conducts sound to the inner ear by 3 tiny bones called the malleus
(the hammer), the incus (the anvil), and the stapes (the stirrup).

The inner ear contains the cochlea (a coiled
structure responsible for hearing), the semicircular canals (concerned with
balance), and the vestibule. The vestibule is an oval cavity that contains the
saccule and utricle, which communicate with the cochlea and semicircular canals.

The vestibular nerve passes impulses from
the inner ear to the brain and is associated with balance; the cochlear
nerve--part of the vestibular nerve--is associated with hearing.